Caulerpa & Chaeto?

[rooster426]

Sorry if I'm not spelling these names correctly - I have a 55 gallon refugium with sand/rock and a large amount of cualerpa racemosa and cheatomorpha(? the fine angel-hair pasta-like stuff) Have a 48" shoplight fixture with 2 T-8 daylight bulbs lighting the refugium 12 hours per day. The caulerpa is doing great, but the chaeto has recently and suddenly just crashed - totally gone from the system. It's part of a fairly new 500 gallon prop system that's very lightly stocked right now, and not very heavily fed. Any suggestions on the crash?? Thanks

[Aquarist007]

caulerpa will outstrip the nitrates and phosphates from the chaeto
However it is so fast growing that it can over take the tank in no time
Caulerpa also releases toxins that can kill off other macro algae

You take the chance with caulerpa going sexual with a 12 hour light schedule---the chances are minimized if you keep the light on 24/7

[johnmaloney]

sometimes when you dose calcium quickly instead of dripping it in that will happen to chaeto. Check your calcium levels.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15073357#post15073357 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by johnmaloney
sometimes when you dose calcium quickly instead of dripping it in that will happen to chaeto. Check your calcium levels.

you learn something new every day on here----I am intersted in the reason for this John, do you have a link to further information
Thanks
Scott